The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth (secretary of state

Secretary of State (U.S. state government)

Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...

) is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth oversees the Corporations Division, the Elections Division, the Massachusetts Archives

Massachusetts Archives

The Massachusetts Archives is the state archive of Massachusetts. It "serves the Commonwealth and its citizens by preserving and making accessible the records documenting government action and by assisting government agencies in managing their permanent records." The archives currently occupies...

, the Massachusetts Historical Commission

Massachusetts Historical Commission

The Massachusetts Historical Commission is a review board for state and federal preservation programs for the United States state of Massachusetts...

, the Public Records Division, the Securities Division, and the State Records Center.

The current secretary is William F. Galvin

William F. Galvin

William Francis Galvin is the 27th and current Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth .-Early life and career:...

.

List of Secretaries of the Commonwealth (1780 to Present)

#	Secretary of the Commonwealth	Picture	Years	Party	Notes
1	John Avery, Jr. John Avery, Jr. John Avery, Jr. was an American politician who served as the 1st Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth....		January 1, 1780 – June 7, 1806	Pro-Administration Pro-Administration Party (United States) Pro-Administration "Party" is a term by historians to describe the supporters of the policies of George Washington's administration — especially Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's financial policies — prior to the formation of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican Parties.Almost the entire... /Federalist	Succeeded Samuel Adams Samuel Adams Samuel Adams was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. As a politician in colonial Massachusetts, Adams was a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and was one of the architects of the principles of American... , who had been Secretary of the Province of Massachusetts Bay Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...  from August 15, 1776 until January 1, 1780. Avery died in office, June 7, 1806.
2	Jonathan L. Austin Jonathan L. Austin Jonathan Loring Austin was a Massachusetts revolutionary, diplomat and politician who served as the second Secretary of the Commonwealth and the tenth Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts. Austin was the father of Massachusetts Attorney General James Treacothie Austin.-Early...		1806–1808	Democratic-Republican
3	William Tudor William Tudor William Tudor was a wealthy lawyer and leading citizen of Boston. His eldest son William Tudor became a leading literary figure in Boston...		1808–1810	Federalist
4	Benjamin Homans		1810–1812	Democratic-Republican
5	Alden Bradford Alden Bradford Alden Bradford was an American politician, clergyman and author who served as the 5th Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Born in Duxbury, MA, he graduated from Harvard in 1786 and received a degree of LL.D. there. He was then ordained as a Congregational church pastor, serving in...		1812–1824	Federalist/National Republican
6	Edward D. Bangs Edward D. Bangs Edward Dillingham Bangs was an American politician who served as the 6th Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1824 to 1836.-Early life:...		1824–1836	National Republican/Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
7	John P. Bigelow John P. Bigelow John Prescott Bigelow was an American politician, who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Secretary of State of Massachusetts, and most prominently as the twelfth mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1849 to 1851...		1836–1843	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...	Later served as the 12th Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts (1849–1851).
8	John A. Bolles John A. Bolles John Augustus Bolles John Augustus Bolles (b. April 16, 1809) John Augustus Bolles (b. April 16, 1809) (was an American politician who, from 1843–1844, served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.-References:...		1843–1844	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
9	John G. Palfrey John G. Palfrey John Gorham Palfrey was an American clergyman and historian who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. A Unitarian minister, he played a leading role in the early history of Harvard Divinity School, and he later became involved in politics as a State Representative and U.S...		1844–1848	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
10	William B. Calhoun William B. Calhoun William Barron Calhoun was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.-Early life:Calhoun, the eldest child of Andrew Calhoun and Martha Calhoun, was born on December 29, 1796 in Boston, Massachusetts...		January 1848 – 1851	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
11	Amasa Walker Amasa Walker Amasa Walker was an American economist and United States Representative, and was the father of Francis Amasa Walker.-Biography:...		1851–1853	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
12	Ephraim M. Wright Ephraim M. Wright Ephraim M. Wright was a Connecticut and Massachusetts teacher, clergyman and politician who served as 12th Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1853–1856.-Career:...		1853–1856	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
13	Francis De Witt		1856–1858	Know Nothing Know Nothing The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
14	Oliver Warner Oliver Warner (Massachusetts) Oliver Warner was a Massachusetts clergyman, politician and librarian who served in both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, and from 1858 to 1876 served as the 14th Secretary of the Commonwealth.-Early life:...		1858–1876	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
15	Henry B. Pierce Henry B. Pierce Henry Bailey Pierce was a Massachusetts insurance executive and politician who served as Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1876 - 1891.-Family life:...		1876–1891	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
16	William M. Olin William M. Olin William Milo Olin was an American journalist and politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Olin was born in Warrenton, Georgia to parents from Massachusetts, and in 1850 his family moved back to Massachusetts, where he attended school in Worcester and Grafton...		1891 – April 15, 1911	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Died in office April 15, 1911.
Acting	Isaac H. Edgett Isaac H. Edgett Isaac H. Edgett was an American civil servant and politician who served as the acting Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.-Early life:...		April 15, 1911-April 28, 1911.	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Edgett, was the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth under William M. Olin William M. Olin William Milo Olin was an American journalist and politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Olin was born in Warrenton, Georgia to parents from Massachusetts, and in 1850 his family moved back to Massachusetts, where he attended school in Worcester and Grafton... . As the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Edgett became the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth upon Olin's William M. Olin William Milo Olin was an American journalist and politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Olin was born in Warrenton, Georgia to parents from Massachusetts, and in 1850 his family moved back to Massachusetts, where he attended school in Worcester and Grafton...  death. Edgett served as the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth until Albert P. Langtry Albert P. Langtry Albert Perkins Langtry was an American newspaper editor and publisher, politician, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, and a member of the Republican Party.- Biography :...  was elected by the Massachusetts legislature Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...  to serve out the remainder of Olin's William M. Olin William Milo Olin was an American journalist and politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Olin was born in Warrenton, Georgia to parents from Massachusetts, and in 1850 his family moved back to Massachusetts, where he attended school in Worcester and Grafton...  term.
17	Albert P. Langtry Albert P. Langtry Albert Perkins Langtry was an American newspaper editor and publisher, politician, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, and a member of the Republican Party.- Biography :...		April 28, 1911	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	Elected by the Legislature, on April 26, 1911, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William M. Olin William M. Olin William Milo Olin was an American journalist and politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. Olin was born in Warrenton, Georgia to parents from Massachusetts, and in 1850 his family moved back to Massachusetts, where he attended school in Worcester and Grafton... . Langtry assumed the office of Secretary of the Commonwealth on April 28, 1911.
18	Frank J. Donahue Frank J. Donahue Frank J. Donahue was an American politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, and as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court.-1912 Election:...		January 15, 1913–1915	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
19	Albert P. Langtry Albert P. Langtry Albert Perkins Langtry was an American newspaper editor and publisher, politician, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, and a member of the Republican Party.- Biography :...		1915–1921	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
20	Frederic W. Cook Frederic W. Cook Frederic White Cook was an American politician who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1921 to 1949.-Early life:...		1921–1949	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
21	Edward J. Cronin Edward J. Cronin Edward Joseph Cronin was a Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1949 to 1958.-References:...		1949 – November 24, 1958	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Died in office on November 24, 1958.
Acting	J. Henry Goguen J. Henry Goguen J. Henry Goguen was a Massachusetts politician and civil servant. who served as acting Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1958-1959.-Biography:...		December 1, 1958 – January 20, 1959	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
22	Joseph D. Ward Joseph D. Ward Joseph D. Ward was an American politician who served as Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from January 1959 to January 1961....		January 20, 1959–1961	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
23	Kevin H. White		1961–1967	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	Later served as the 51st Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts (1968–1984).
24	John F. X. Davoren		1967–1974	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
25	Paul H. Guzzi		1975–1978	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
26	Michael J. Connolly Michael J. Connolly (American politician) Michael Joseph Connolly is a former politician who served as Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1979–1994....		1979–1994	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
27	William F. Galvin William F. Galvin William Francis Galvin is the 27th and current Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth .-Early life and career:...		1995 – present	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

External links

• Official site